Strip doubler for strip mills



June 22, 1937. H. c. PooLE Er Al.

STRIP DOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26, 1955 lO Sheets-Sheet 1Howard C. Poole Harry W.Moseley IN VEN TQRS.

.4 TTORNEY June 22, 1937. H C, POOLE ET AL 2,084,705

STRIP DOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLS L0 CD OOO@ Flaix g FIGMZ;

Howard C. Poole Harry W. MoSeZey INI/ENTORS.

ATTORNEY June 22, 1937. H. C. POOLE ET AL STRIP DOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLSFiled Jan. 26, 1935 l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 Howard C. Poole Harry w. Moseley@W :mm .wh

,L3 INVENTo/zs. ,I

n A TTORNEY June 22, 1937. H. C. POOLE Er Al. 2,084,705

STRIP DOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26, 1935 l0 SheetS-Sheet 4ATTORNEY June 22, 1937. H. c. POOLE Er AL STRIP DOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLSFiled Jan. 26, 1935 lO Sheets-Sheet 5 Howa rd C. Pool@ HJ e 5 0 M w U Ta H R O T N. T 1

A TTORNEY June 22, 1937. H. C. POOLE ET A1.

STRIP DoULER Fon STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26, 1935 l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 HarryW. Moseley IN VEN TORS.

` Howard C. Poole ATTOR EY June 22, l937- H. c. PooLE ET AL 2,084,705

STRIP DOUBLEH FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26. 1955 lO Shets-Sheecl 7 ATTORNEY June 22, 1937. H, c; POOLE ET AL 2,084,705

STRIP DoUBLER FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26, 1935 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 FlG. I2

Howard CLPaole.k

Harry W. Moseley INVENToRs.

`BY @d A TTORNEY June 22, 1937.". H. c. POOLE Er AL 2,084,705

STRIP DOUBLER FOR `STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26, 1955 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 '4FIlm x;

FIGJ4 me.. na

INVENTQRS.

m ATTORNEY June 22, 1937. H. C. POOLE Er AL 2,084,705

STRIP DOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLS Filed Jan. 26. 1935 lO Sheets-Sheet 10FIG. I6

Howard C. Poole Harry W. Moseley INVENTORS.

A TTORNEY Patented June 22,l 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRIPDOUBLER FOR STRIP MILLS Application January 26, 1935, Serial No. 3,536

10 Claims.

This invention relates to strip mills.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device fordoubling a strip of material over on itself during the process ofreducing the same in order to produce relatively light gauge strips frommetal or other material.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for thepurpose of doubling a strip of material upon itself in the process ofreducing m the strip in order to produce two layers or other multiplesof two layers, depending upon the number of times doubled.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, I the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-Figure 1 is a side elevation of certain elements of the apparatus in theposition they occupy immediately preceding the doubling operation;

Figure 1a a view similar to Figure 1 showing certain elements of theapparatus in the position they would occupy just before the completionof a doubling operation. Y

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a. plurality o! rolling mills carryingthe doubled strip after leaving the device shown in Figure 1.

5 Figure 3 is a side elevation of a unit of the device showing theshearing of the doubled end, the separation of the layers, and theheating furnace.

Figures 4 and 4a are views similar to Figures 1 and 1a respectively,showing a two layer strip 40 being operated upon.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a plurality of rolling mills, similar tothe mills illustrated in Figure 2, but now rolling the strip, fourlayers in thickness, and also showing a shearing device for I5 cuttingthe doubled end through the four layers.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a unit of the device showing thestructure for separating the strips and winding on reels. Figure 7 showsa cross section taken from a "o plan view of the iirst portion of Figure1, the section being on the center line of the roller table.

Figure 8 is a cross section taken from a plan view of a part of Figure1, the section being on the center line of the roller table, showing acontinuation of the movement started in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a cross section taken from a plan view of a part of Figure1, the section being on y the center line of the roller table, showingan advanced movement from that sh'own in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a cross section taken on line I IJ-Ill of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a. detail view of a portion of Fig'- ure 10, showing a viewof a quarter angle from that shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a cross section taken on line I2-I2 of Figure 1a.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of a portion of the left end of Figure 1showing advanced movement of the strip and movable parts.

Figure 14 is a side elevation of a portion of the left end of Figure 1showing a continued movement from that shown in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of a portion of the left end of Figure 1showing a continued movement from that shown in Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a side elevation showing an advanced movement of parts andstrip over that shown in Figures 13, 14, and 15.

It will be seen by referring to Figure 1 that the advance end of a stripI, after having passed through the rolls of a mill 2, then passes undera roller 3 which is supported above a table roller Il by'supporting arms5 which are part of a trolley 6. This trolley 6 is carried on wheelswhich roll on a track of structural members 1 supported above a rollertable 8 by columns placed at intervals alongside of the roller table 8.The moving of this trolley 6 is accomplished by connecting the trolleywheels with a sprocket chain to the electric motor 9 or, if preferred,the trolley 6 can be moved by a chain driven from a stationary motorsuitably located.

Referring also now to Figure 10 together with Figure 1, the advancingend of the strip I next enters gripper jaws I0, composed of a stationaryjaw II and a movable jaw I2. Immediately after the advancing end of thestrip I passes the gripper jaws I0 it comes in contact with anelectrical trigger switch I3. A lever I4 of this switch I3 is pusheddown by the end of lthe strip I, which then rolls on over a wheel I5 onthe lever I4. The pushing down of this wheel I5 makes an electricalcontact within the switch I3 which allows an electrical current to flowinto a reversing type motor I6, mounted on the track 'I above thegripper jaws I0. The motor I6 is set in motion, and this rotary motionis transmitted to a sprocket wheel I1 on the motors shaft, and thence toa sprocket chain I8, which runs over a second sprocket wheel I9. Thissprocket wheel I8 is mounted on one end of a solid shaft 20. Thus therotary motion of the motor shaft is 4 transmitted to the solid shaft 20.By referring to Figures '1, 8, 9, and 10 it will be seen that the solidshaft 20 revolves in a hollow shaft 2|. 'I'his hollow shaft 2| has apart of the wall cut out about midway of its length. In the opening thusmade is located a cam 22 which is fastened Arigidly to the solid shaft20. The rotary motion of the solid shaft 20 is thus transmitted to thecam 22. Part of the cam surface rests on one end of the movable jaw I2.This movable jaw I2 reciprocates in guides 23 and has a spiral spring 24around it which forces it against the cam'22. The rotary motion of thecam 22 forces the movable jaw I2 down against the strip I thus forcingthe strip I against the stationary jaw I I. The strip I is now heldtightly between the stationary jaw I I and the movable jaw I2. Nofurther downward movement of the movable jaw I2 is possible because thestationary jaw II is supported at its ends by arms 25 which are in turnfastened rigidly to the hollow shaft 2|. Therefore, since the motor I6is still revolving, the motion is transmitted through this train ofparts to the hollow shaft 2| which now starts to revolve in bearings 26which are supported from the track 1 above by arms 21. On one end of thehollow shaft 2| is rigidly fastened a sheave 28. -The sprocket wheel I9,solid shaft 20, cam 22, movable jaw I2, stationary jaw II, arms 25,hollow shaft 2|, and sheave 28 now revolve together about a commoncenter.

Since the advance end of the strip I is gripped tightly in gripper jawsI0, this advanced end is carried along with therevolving of above namedparts. By referring to Figure 8 it will be seen that this movement istaking place. As the sheave 28 revolves it wraps around itself a cable28, which passes over idler sheaves 30 which are shown in Figure 10.This cable 29 is fastened to a counterweight 3|. wrapped around thesheave 28 this counterweight 3| is raised in a safety guard 32.

By referring to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 it will be seen that there is asecond electrical trigger switch 33 mounted on the inside of one of thearms 21. The trigger of this switch 33 is tripped by a finger 34fastened rigidly to the hollow shaft 2|. When the motor I6 revolves thehollow shaft 2|, this finger 34 trips the trigger switch 33 and sends anelectrical current to the motor 9 on the trolley 6. The trolley 6 .atonce starts to move away from the mill, carrying with it the roller 3.This roller 3 is carried under the gripper jaws III as shown in Figure8, the gripper jaws I0 having revolved to the position shown. Therevolving of the gripper jaws I8 is continued until they reach aposition as shown in Figure 9. By referring to Figure 10 it will be seenthat there is indicated a cam 35 of an electrical rotary switch mountedon the hollow shaft 2| and revolves with it. At this position of themovement, as indicated in Figure 9, the cam 35 runs off a contact shoe36 and the current is disconnected from the motor I6. The disconnectingof this current automatically sets a solenoid brake mounted on the endof the motor shaft, and this brake holds the motor Shaft; t0-

As the cable 29 is j gether with the gripper jaws I0, from any furtherrotation in either direction. Thedis-y connection of current also sets asolenoid brake 31, mounted on the other end of the hollow shaft 2|,which also holds the hollow shaft 2| from turning. It will be seen thatby this means the advance end of the strip is held rigidly in theelevated position shown in Figure 9. Meanley 6 and is carrying with it aloop 38, of the strip, thus formed. This loop 38 will hereafter becalled the looped end. The revolving of rotor of the motor 9 issynchronized with the drive motor of the mill in such a way that thestrip is carried away from the mill as fast as it passes through therolls, by the table rollers of the roller table 8 and the trolley 6.. Itwill be seen however, that the trolley 6 need only move half the speedof the strip I, since the strip I is now doubled. The primary purpose ofthis part of the invention, namely the doubling of the strip, has nowbeen accomplished as shown. By referring to Figure l itwill be seen thatas the trolley 6 advances, heels 39 of the supporting arms 5 come incontact with swinging supports 40, mounted in pairs opposite each otheron the roller table 8. These supports. have two arms, a support arm 4|and a trigger arm 42, which are at right angles to each other. While onearm 42 is out over the table, parallel to the table rollers 44, theother arm 4| lies in a direction almost parallel to table girders 43 andout to one side of table rollers 44. This condition is shown in theright hand half of Figure 1. The heels 39 contact the trigger arms 42out over the roller table 8 and as the trolley 6 continues its travel,carry the trigger arms 4 2 along with the heels 39. The arms 4| and 42are supported on the top end of vertical shafts 45, which are free torotate in cylinders 46. These cylinders 46, which are fastened t'o theroller table girders 43,

vsupport the vertical shafts 45 and at the same time .allow them torotate. Stops are located in proper places in the cylinders 46 to limitthe rotation of the swinging arms 4| and 42 to approximately As the heel39 swings the arm 42 around, the other arm 4| is swinging in towards theloop 38, the top layer 41 of which is held in an elevated position abovethe lower layer 48, by means of the carrier roller 3. As the arms 4|swing in they travel in under the top layer 41 of the loop 38. This isbrought about by the curved shape of the arms 4|, the ends of which arecurved downward to get in under the top layer 41. As the rotating actionis continued the arms 4| come to rest out over the table and under thetop layer 41 in approximately the same location as the other arm 42 wasin. This condition is shown in left hand half of Figure 1. There beingone of these supporting arms 4| on each side of the roller table 8,opposite each other, the top layer 41 of the loop 38 is supportedstationary on these arms while the lower layer 48 advances overthe'power driven table rollers 44. As the trolley 6 continues itsadvance these arms 4| are thrown into position successively until nally,when the trolley 6 arrives at the end of its ad- Vance, as shown inFigure la, the top layer 41 is supported from gripper jaws l0 to carrierroller 3 on these support arms 4I. When the proper time arrives thetrolley 6 reverses its direction and the carrier roller 3 contacts thearms 4I out arms 4| and 42 and kicking them back into their 'whileroller 3 isbeing carried along by the troloriginal position, as shown inright hand half of Figure 1.

As the trolley 6 continues its travel from the position as shown inFigure 9, the tail end 49` of the strip I approaches the rolls of themill 2. Closely after this tall end 49 has passed through the rolls, andthe strip is free from the mill, this tail end 49 passes over a thirdtrigger switch 50, as shown in Figure 16, right hand end. The resultingmovement of the trigger switch 58 allows electric current to passthrough the reversing control of the motor I6 setting it in reversemotion. This motion is passed through the sprocket wheels I1 and I9.andthe chain I8 and solid shaft 20 to the cam 22 backing it off from themovable jaw I2. The pressure of the cam 22 now having been released fromthe movable jaw I2, the spring 24 coiled around it forces the movablejaw I2 to follow the cam 22 thus moving it away from the-end of thestrip I which it has been holding rigidly. This end of the top layer 41which is now loose from the gripper jaws I0 is free to fall on to theend of the lower layer 48, below it, which has just passed through themill and over the trigger switch 50. This end which has just passed overthe trigger switch 50, now passes over a fourth trigger switch 5I placeda very short distance from the switch 50. The releasing of this triggerswitch 5I opens the circuit to the motor I6 which now stops and sets itssolenoid brake holding solid shaft 20 and the cam 22 at the positionshown at right hand end of Figure 16. The gripper jaws I0 are still up,because the solenoid brake 31, shown in Figure 11 mounted at end ofhollow shaft 2 I, is. still gripping the hollow shaft 2| and prevents itfrom turning. It does not release at the same time as the solenoid brakeon motor I6 releases. The trolley 6 continues to advance, carrying withit the doubled strip trailing after it, until it nearly reaches theposition as shown in Figure 1a.

Now referring also to Figures 12 and 13 in addition to Figure 1 it willbe seen that at this point in the travel of the trolley 6, just beforeit reaches the end of its travel, two short manipulator rollers 52 and53 are inserted between the top 41 and bottom layer 484 of the strip Iat a point closely adjacent to the carrier roller 3. This operation isaccomplished as follows: Rollers 52 and 53 are mounted on the ends oftwo short shafts 54 and 55. These two shafts are in turn mounted on theupper ends of two screws 56 and 51. Screw 56 passes down through asleeve nut 58. On the upper end of this sleeve nut 58 is mounted, andkeyed to it, a sprocket wheel 59. This sprocket is held in place, as tovertical movement, by two ribs of a housing 60; one rib above thesprocket 59 and one under it. In this same space is placed anothersprocket 6I which is bored and threaded to flt the screw 51, and the twosprockets 59 and 6I are connected by a continuous chain 62. Thus, whenone sprocket revolves the other is forced to revolve with it. On thelower end of the sleeve nut 58 is mounted, and keyed to it, a bevel gear63. Since both sprocket 59 and bevel gear 63 are mounted on this sleeve58, and both keyed to it, when one revolve-s the other is forced torevolve with it. Also, since the inside of the sleeve nut 58 is threadedto fit the screw 56, when the nut 58 is revolved this raises or lowersscrew 56 aecording to the direction the nut is revolved. The bevel gear63 meshes with a. bevel pinion 64 which is connected by suitablecoupling and shafts to a motor reduction unit 65. It will now be seenthat when the motor reduction set revolves the pinion 64, the movementis transmitted through bevel gear 63, sleeve nut 58, sprockets 59 and6I, and chain 62, to the two screws 56 and 51. This movement eitherraises or lowers the two screws simultaneously according to thedirection in which the motor revolves. The lower ends of screws 56 and51 are formed into square shafts 66 and 61. These squared portions areinserted in correspondingly squared holes in two worm gear segments 68and 69. These two segments are mounted in a space between two ribs ofhousing 6U in a. similar manner to sprockets 59 and 6I. Thus thevertical movement of the worm gear segments is prevented; but shafts 66and 61 can raise and lower in segments 6B and 69, a sliding iit beingprovided. Worm gear segments 68 and 69 mesh with two worms 10 and 1I.One worm is threaded with a right hand thread; the other with a lefthand thread, and the two worms are mounted on the same shaft 12.connected by suitable coupling to a motor gear reduction set 13. It willbe seen that when the motor reduction set 13 revolves the shaft 12, andworms 10 and 1I, that the movement is transmitted through worm g'earsegments 68 and 69 to square shafts 66 and 61 revolving these also. Due,however, to the right hand and left hand threading of worms these twoshafts 66 and 61 are rotated in opposite directions. It will be seennow, by referring to Figure 12, that through the rotation of shafts 66and 61, which are integral with screws 56 and 51, the short manipulatorrollers 52 and 53 can be swung in from a position parallel with thetable girders 43 to a position across the table and parallel with therollers 44, as 5 `the aforesaid operations were taking place, has

now reached the end of its travel as shown at the left end of Figure 1.At this instant the table rollers 4, 44, and table rollers 11 arestopped by electric switches or manual control.

3 has now arrived directly under the hammer 14 and has reached the endof its forward travel. At this point a finger on some part of thetrolley frame trips a switch |05 which reverses the trolley motor 9 andstarts the trolley back towards the mill. Referring to Figure 13 it willbe seen that the carrier roller 3 has already moved back a shortdistance, freeing the looped end 38 from the roller 3 and allowing it tosag down onto an anvil 15 underneath it. The control to the hammer 14 isnow set in operation, either by an electrical switch, tripped by thetrolley, or manually by an operator. Also at this time the motorreduction gear set 65 is put in motion, timed by electrical switches ormanual control, and revolved in the proper direction to lower the screws56 and 51, carrying with them manipulator rollers 52 and 53 to theposition shown. This position is such that the carrier roller 3 can passover the rollers 52 and 53. Referring to Figure 14 it will be seen thatthis has taken place. As soon as roller 3 is in this position the motorset 65 is started in the reverse direction, pushing manipulator rollers52 and 53 up into position shown.

This shaft is Referring to Figure l, left end, it will be seen that theroller The hammer 14 has now descended and flattened out the looped end38 and a. pinch roller 16 is part way down in its travel. Referring toFigure 15 this shows the trolley 6 with the roller 3 as having movedback towards the mill still further. 'I'he hammer 14 has returned to itsoriginal position, pinch roller 16 has descended until it pinches thestrip against the table roller 11 underneath it. The table rollers 4,44, and 11 have again been started at the moment this contact tookplace. This action has forced the doubled and flattened loop end to moveahead as shown towards the rolls of a mill 18 ahead. 'Ihe function ofthe pinch roller 16 is to cause the table roller 11 under it to move thedoubled and flattened looped end ahead into the mill 18. As soon as thisis accomplished the pinch roller 16 can be raised to its originalposition. Figure 16 shows these actions to have taken place. The doubledstrip is now in the grip of the rolls of the rolling mill 18 and pinchroller 16 is again back to its original position. As the pinch roller 18rose, motor set 65 was again put in motion forcing the manipulatorrollers 52 and 53 up and carrying with them the top layer 41 of thestrip I. When the top layer 41 was elevated to the position shown inFigure 16 current was disconnected from the motor set 65 stopping it andholding the top layer 41 of the strip in position shown. This causes thetwo layers of strip 41 and 48 to be separated as shown, the openingdecreasing from the rollers 52 and 53 to where the strip is grippedbetween the rolls of the mill 18. A spray nozzle 19 is placed on eachside of thestrip. These spray nozzles 19 are connected by suitablepiping to storage tanks, pumps, and other necessary equipment to cause aspray of liquid or finely powdered material to be emitted fro-m thespray 'nozzles 19. The nozzles are adjusted to such a position that thespray is blown into the opening between the top layer 41 and the lowerlayer 48 just as they are being forced together by the rolls of the mill18. The valves which control the ,sprays are operated by suitabletriggers placed over or under the strip so that the sprays are onlyblowing while there is a strip in the mill. The function of the liquidor powder used is to prevent the two layers of .strip from stickingtogether so badly that separation necessary later in the cycle ofoperations wouldbediificult. When the tail end of the top layer 41 ofthe strip has passed over the manipulator rollers 52 and 53 they arelowered and moved to their original position alongside of the rollertable 8, and ready to function-when the next strip comes along. It willbe seenthat the trolley 6 and the roller 3 have successively kicked backthe supporting arms 4| allowing the top layer 41 of the strip to fall onthe lower layer 48; and has arrived at position shown, near to itsstarting point. Gripper jaws I8 are still in the upper position so thatthe roller 3 can pass under them and resume its original startingposition. The trolley 6 and roller 3 continue their travel until thisposition is reached. As the roller 3 arrives at that position itcontacts a trigger switch' |86 placed above it on the arm 21. Thisswitch allows electrical current to flow to the motor I6 and release itssolenoid brake and also to solenoid brake 31 which is thus released andallows the motor |6 to operatev until the gripper jaws are returned totheir original position ready for the next strip. At this point thefinger 34 on the hollow shaft 2| has again contacted the trigger ofswitch 33 mounted `on arm 21 opening the current, thus stopping themotor 9 and setting its brake and also solenoid brake 31. operatingmovements between the mills and all the equipment is ready for the nextstrip to come along.

Referring to Figure 4 the operations between the two mills 88 and 8|shown are identically the same as the foregoing description which coversthe operations between the two first mentioned mills. The only exceptionis that four layers of strip pass through the outgoing mill 8| followinghammer 82 in Figure 4. Referring to the left side of Figure l, after thedoubled strip has passed lthro-ugh the mill 18 the strip will be passedthrough one or more mills |05, shown in Figure 2 and will then pass to ashear 83 shown in Figure 3 where flattened looped end 38 will be shearedoffl After a forward movement of strips the forward end will be manuallyopened on an opening table 84 following the shear 83 and then enteredinto a sticker opener 85 where the entire length of top layer 41 andlower layer 48 will be separated or opened. Strips 41 and 48 will now becoiled, if desired, or Will pass into a continuous furnace 86 shown inFigure 3 for reheating; top layer 41 still laying on lower layer 48.After leaving reheating furnace 86, the reheated strips 41 and 48 willpass through one or more mills for further gauge reduction. It will thenagain upon leaving mill 80, shown in Figure 4, pass through the sameoperations 'described previously as taken place between first mentionedmills, sho-wn in Figure 1. The only exception is that two layers ofstrips enter the first mill 80 shown in Figure 4 and are doubled intofour layers, so that four layers of strip pass through the outgoing mill8|, following the hammer 82. The twice doubled strips (four layersthick) will now pass into one or more mills 81, shown in Figure fo-rgauge reduction. From mill 81 it will pass to shear 88 Where flattenedlooped end will be sheared off. After some forward movement it will bemanually opened for a short distance on opening table 89 following theshear 88 and passed into sticker opener 98, shown in Figure 6 where theentire length will be separated or opened into two layers, to-p layer 9|and lower layer 92, each of which will be composed of two layers. Thesewill pass on to opening tables 93 and 94 where they will be manuallyopened and entered into the rolls of sticker opener 95 and 96. Havingbeen thus opened there will be four separate strips 91, 98, 99, and |80.These will be coiled on reels |0|, |82, |83, and |04, removed and bandedready for use. The material now will be a thin gauge.

What we claim is:-

1. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, a roller table, a doublingroller mounted for movement over the table from end to end of thelatter, and means operable, when the doubling roller is positioned atthe sheet receiving end of the table, to grip the advance end of a sheetand move and hold the same across the path of movement of the rollertoward the other end of the table, whereby said latter movement of thedoubling roller will effect doubling of the sheet.

2. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, a roller table, a doublingroller mounted for movement over the table from end to end of thelatter, a frame pivotally mounted above the table at the sheet receivingend of the latter, cooperating fixed and movable gripping jaws carried'I'his operation completes the cycle of jaw to grip the advance end of asheet, means for subsequently pivoting the frame to a position todispose the advance end of the sheet across the path of movement of thedoubling roller when the latter is positioned at the same end of thetable as the pivoted frame, and means for subsequently moving thedoubling roller toward the other end of the table to eiect doubling ofthe sheet.

3. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, av

roller table, a doubling roller mounted for movement over the table fromend to end off the latter, fixed spaced bearings supported above thetable. a shaft rotatable in said bearings, a frame carried by saidshaft, a device carried by the frame for gripping the advance end of asheet to be doubled, means for operating said device into grippingrelation to a sheet, means for subsequently rotating said shaft to movethe fra-me and gripping device to a position to dispose the advance endof the sheet across the path of movement of the doubling roller when thelatter is pivoted at the same end of the table as the pivoted frame, andmeans for subsequently moving the doubling roller toward the other endof the table to effect doubling of the sheet.

4. In apparatus foi doubling metal sheets, a roller table, a doublingroller mounted for movement over the table from end to end of thelatter, xed spaced bearings supported above the table at the sheetreceiving end of the latter, a tubular shaft rotatableVv in saidbearings, a frame carried by the shaft, a device carried by the framefor gripping vthe advance end of a sheet to be doubled, a solid shaftrotatable in the tubular shaft, means for rotating the solid shaft, acam lon the solid shaft extending through an opening in the tubularshaft and operable during initial rotation of the solid shaft to causethe gripping device to clamp the advance end of a sheet to be doubled,`and during subsequent rotation of the solid shaft to rotate the tubularshaft to move the frame to a position toy dispose the advance end of thesheet across the path of movement of the doubling roller when the latteris at the same end of the table as said shafts, and means forsubsequently moving the doubling roller toward the other end of thetable to effect doubling of the sheet.

5. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, a roller table, a trackstructure above the table, a carriage movable on said track structure, adoubling roller on the carriage, means at the sheet receiving end of thetable forpositioning and anchoring the advance, end of a metal 4sheetacross the path of movement of the doubling roller when the latter is inits initial position, and means for moving the carriage and doublingroller over the table to effect doubling f the sheet and for returningthe carriage and doubling rollery to initial position after the doublingoperation is complete.

6. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, a roller table, a trackstructure above the table, a carriage movable on said track structure, adoubling roller on the carriage, a device positioned at one end of thetable vincluding a pivoted sheet gripper, means for pivoting andanchoring the gripper to and in a position to dispose the advance end ofa metal sheet in the path of movement of the doubling roller when thelatter is in its initial position, means for moving the carriage anddoubling roller toward the opposite end of the table to eifect doublingof the sheet, means at the opposite end of the table for delivering thedoubled sheet to a mill, means for returning the carriage and doublingroller to initial position, and means for returning the pivoted sheetgripper to position to receive the next sheet to be doubled.

7. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets,- a roller table, a trackstructure above the table. a carriage movable on said track structure, adoubling roller on the carriage, spaced arms rigidly depending from thetrack structure at the sheet receiving end of the table, a framepivotally mounted between the arms, fixed and movable gripping jawscarried by the frame, cam means for operating the movable jaw to gripthe advance end of a metal sheet between the jaws, means for pivotingthe frame to a position to dispose the advance end of a sheet across thepath of movement of the doubling roller when the latter is in itsinitial position, means for moving the carriage and doubling roller overthe table to effect doubling of the sheet, means for returning thecarriage and doubling roller to initial position, and means forreturning the pivoted frame and its gripping jaws to position to receivethe next sheet to be doubled.

8. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, a roller table, mechanism fordoubling a sheet over the table, arms mounted at spaced points along thetable for pi'votal movement to and from a position to support the upperlayer of the `sheet in spacement from the lower layer during thedoubling operation, means operated by movement of the doubling mechanismto successively move said arms to supporting position as the doublingoperation progresses, and means included in the doubling mechanismsuccessively engaging and moving the arms from layer supporting positionduring movement of the doubling mechanism occurring after the doublingoperation is completed.

9. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, a roller table, mechanism fordoubling a sheet over the table, and devices located at spaced pointsalong the table successively operated by the doubling mechanism duringits doubling movement to a position to support the upper layer of thesheet in spaced relation to the lower layer and to a position to releasesaid layer to the influence of gravity during the opposite movement ofthe doubling mechanism.

10. In apparatus for doubling metal sheets, mechanism for doubling asheet overthe table and devices mounted at spaced points along the tablesuccessively operated during doubling movement of the mechanism to aposition to support the upper layer of the sheet in spaced relation tothe lower layer and to a position to release said layer to the influenceof gravity after the doubling operation is completed.

HOWARD C. POOLE. HARRY W. MOSELEY.

